The White House said Tuesday it is pleased that Iran is taking seriously an incentives package from six world powers but reiterated that the Iranian government needs to suspend nuclear enrichment activities. Iranian chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani described the package as positive but containing “ambiguities” that should be removed. He was presented with the proposals by European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana in Tehran. White House spokesman Tony Snow did not comment the incentives or the possible sanctions in the package, which was agreed to by the five permanent U.N. Security Council members—the United States, China, Russia, Britain, and France—and Germany in an effort to persuade Iran to limit its nuclear program. “I think at this point, the Iranians are now just beginning to have a glance at the incentives and disincentives packages that have been offered them, and I would expect there to be a series of comments and characterizations over the next few days,” Snow said. “It's obvious and I think it is heartening that they will be taking them seriously.” “I would repeat the central point, which is if the Iranians agree to suspend enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, then we'll be able to discuss more openly what the incentives are, and we certainly hope that that's the case,” Snow told reporters traveling with President George W. Bush to an event on border security. The proposals, which have not been made public, seek to convince Iran to stop enriching uranium. The United States said last week it would join European-led talks with Tehran on the condition that Iran suspends enrichment activities.
